Human rights activists assassinated in Colombia, the 43rd in 2022

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Institute for Studies for Development and Peace (Indepaz) denounced on Sunday the assassination of another social leader (human rights activist) in Colombia in 2022. This time the tragic event took place in the department of Cauca.

According to Indepaz, the victim is Richard Betancourt, who was murdered near his home in the municipality of Argelia. “He was president of the Junta de Acción Comunal de la vereda Santa Clara de Argelia,” it said.

Before the murder of the social leader, residents of the rural area had reported to authorities the armed clashes between dissident FARC and National Liberation Army (ELN) insurgents.

Due to the constant armed clashes between irregular groups, the Ombudsman’s Office had issued a warning for the Caucasian communities of Argelia and El Tambo to protect the community, as they are the epicenter of these clashes.

Colombian authorities indicate that residual groups of the former FARC are present in the department of Cauca and dissidents and the ELN “José María Becerra” Front.

Indepaz points out that in the three months of this year, 43 social leaders have been assassinated, and 23 massacres have been committed in Colombia, exacerbating the dramatic humanitarian crisis in the country.

With information from Telesur